# Purpose This is a system for categorizing tickets in a backlog based on three buckets: *may*, *should*, and *must*. The choice of these words comes from RFC 2119, and their definitions here are loosely based on more-strict defintions. ## Definitions [RFC 2119 - Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2119) > [1](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2119#section-1). MUST This word, or the terms "REQUIRED" or "SHALL", mean that the definition is an absolute requirement of the specification. > > [3](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2119#section-3). SHOULD This word, or the adjective "RECOMMENDED", mean that there may exist valid reasons in particular circumstances to ignore a particular item, but the full implications must be understood and carefully weighed before choosing a different course. > > [5](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2119#section-5). MAY This word, or the adjective "OPTIONAL", mean that an item is truly optional. One vendor may choose to include the item because a particular marketplace requires it or because the vendor feels that it enhances the product while another vendor may omit the same item. An implementation which does not include a particular option MUST be prepared to interoperate with another implementation which does include the option, though perhaps with reduced functionality. In the same vein an implementation which does include a particular option MUST be prepared to interoperate with another implementation which does not include the option (except, of course, for the feature the option provides.) # May North Star: ??? - Feature requests that don't really align with the current work or vision - Nice-to-haves - Experiments, spikes # Should North Star: Usability - Non-critical dependency updates - Non-critical bug fixes - UI # Must North Star: Functionality - Critical bug fixes - Data loss - Critical dependency updates - Vulnerabilities - End of support life Prescient Prognostic Perceptive / perception Stategic